Ray O'Brien obituary

My friend and former colleague Ray O'Brien has died aged 74 after years of declining health. He bore the physical incapacity this brought with the bravery that was the outstanding hallmark of his character. I saw his intellectual courage in a variety of settings, notably during the eventful years we shared at Nottinghamshire county council between 1969 and 1978.

Ray joined the authority in the treasurer's department. When the position of deputy clerk became vacant it was suggested by senior people at county hall that I should approach Ray to persuade him to apply. He was initially very reluctant to take the idea seriously. His appointment paved the way for the new county council, after Edward Heath's local government reorganisation in the 70s, to make him its first chief executive in 1973.

The authority had hitherto run on a bipartisan basis, though the Conservatives had an overall majority. This came to an abrupt end in 1973 with a massive Labour majority. There were all sorts of issues to deal with, but Ray never once flinched and never lost his sense of humour. He kept that until the end of his life.

He was born in Liverpool and educated at St Mary's college in Crosby, from where he won a scholarship to study classics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Following his time in Nottinghamshire, the opportunity to return to his native and beloved Merseyside proved irresistible. In 1978 he became chief executive of the newly created metropolitan county council, where he was soon engaged in quite different battles. It was the time of the Toxteth riots, with the greater Liverpool area in serious need of economic regeneration, for which he became an insistent and important voice.

Later he was chief executive of Severn Trent Water and Fimbra, the financial services watchdog, before returning to Merseyside in semi-retirement. He became chairman of Liverpool Land, which played a major role in redeveloping the city, once again taking up the cudgels for much-needed investment. For this he was appointed CBE in 2000 and a deputy lieutenant of the county.

Sport was one of his abiding passions. He was a lifelong supporter of Liverpool FC and played rugby to county standard. He was captain of Chester RUFC for three years in the mid-60s.

He is survived by Wendy, his wife of 51 years, and their four children, Martin, Jacqui, Neil and Kathryn.

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